Who here has been through some major conditioning and programming living in the Western World? Me, me, me! And probably you too. It seems as if this journey of life is to undo all that we are taught in the system to redo back to who we really are. Krishnamurti talks a lot about society’s imposed conditionings, as well as Henry David Thoreau, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Ram Dass, Walt Whitman, John Lennon, Patti Smith, Bob Dylan, you know—all those active consciousness-seeking cats. We’re here to untangle all the madness within ourselves to purge and realign to the highest truth of who we really are. I know it sounds kind of weird and crazy—but yo, it’s true. Here are some helpful tips on how to rewire and repattern some of the major propaganda and lies we are taught since being a wee small child. And remember, society is so strong and intelligent that conditionings are placed into the field of the experiencer in a very subtle, slow and sneaky kind of way. Sort of like churning molasses or repeating the same story in your head daily for 15 years. Sooner or later you realize what’s been imprinted onto you—and what’s really you! Find your way back to your, the source, the center!

1. Hollywood movies, romantic love, the one, fear of being alone for the rest of your life.

Hollywood and its damn princess fairy tale love stories and romantic comedies have programmed the brain to assume that only these kinds of love stories can exist! How false! Any love story you create is a love story. Your experience does not mean it has to fit in this type of mold that media has enforced and implied. This whole “happily ever after” idea with one person for the rest of your life and you’ve just got to make it work—cos well, that’s just the way that it is idea is pretty bogus, don’t you think? People change and if y’all aren’t changing together, if y’all aren’t happy together, it’s okay to bail. Just because religion frowns upon cutting the cord, doesn’t mean cutting the cord isn’t a wise decision to implement! Settling for something or someone in response to the fear created in the domain of your mind, assuming you will be alone for the rest of your life is not a very smart decision to be with someone. I mean.. right?

2. School don’t mean sh*t.

No offense to any of you who have gone through the education system. Mad respect to you who have gone that route. Organized education in a school system is great in many aspects—but all I’m sayin’ is hey, remember it is not the only way. I have a vague impression of college, I think I went for three days, I was so bored. The school setting moved too slow for me and I already knew what I wanted to learn and that sure wasn’t about the history of some subject I cared nothing about. Just cos you’ve got a paper hanging on your wall signed by the dean and your instructor of whatever does not give you credit on points of being a human being. Don’t feel like you HAVE to do anything because society says to go that route. If you feel called to study pottery in the middle of the desert with an indigenous neat to extinct tribe—do it! If you have the internal yearning to travel mystical lands of the East to study with saints, rishis and sages—do it! If you have the passion and desire to harvest and take care of trees and plants and absolutely get off on anything related to Mother Earth—follow your dream!

3. Pleasing others before you please yourself.

The biggest lie! Do not do this. Do not be afraid to take the front seat of your very own life. You are your main character! Please yourself first, do what you want to do, honor your own values and wishes before anyone else. Do not people please, everyone does not have to like you. you just have to like yourself. In fact, the sooner you realize not everyone is going to like you regardless of how amazing, beautiful, kind and generous you are—ahhh what a freedom! And anyway, that’s their loss- not yours. Focus on yourself and your own endeavors—everything else will fall into place. It’s not called being selfish, it’s called being honest and truthful to yourself. You don’t have to play a role or carry anyone’s weight for them. You’ve got yourself to carry for the rest of your life! Ride out YOUR dharma, not anyone elses. You’re not a martyr. This journey is YOURS, own it. Own your life!

4. Religion, God, institutions, Jesus

Your connection with God does not mean going to church every Sunday and eating donuts and drinking Mountain Dew. It does not mean you have to read the Bible or quote passages from the New Testament. Being spiritual does not mean you have to follow any dogma or imposed ideas of what it is supposed to be! Being spiritual does not mean wearing mala beads and prancing around in yoga clothes. Being spiritual means being in tune with your self. God is a personal relationship—whatever that may mean to you. If the word God freaks you out—which is does to some—I mean, I remember a time I couldn’t use that word because I was so conditioned into assuming ‘god’ meant Jesus or Christianity or organized religion. Jesus was just a dude—like you and me. I used the word Universe for a while, Higher Power, Source, whatever word you’re comfortable with in describing the most High. But now, my definition of God is my own definition. Not what someone else has imposed onto me. Ya dig? What happened was, people turned him into a thing—a thing that he was not. He was and is an awakened and enlightened soul, spreading the teachings of love and truth. He did not preach to people to tell them they were bad or going to go to hell or if they repented all their sins they would go to heaven. Heaven is NOW, here on Earth. Now that, is the teaching.

5. You’re not who you think you are.

You are so much more than just a physical human being thing with eyeballs and toes. Check this out: Close your eyes, put your left hand on top of your chest and feel your heart beating. Now feel your breath breathing. Your breath is being breathed for you. What?! Woah! Trippy. There is something greater, something bigger, something inexplicable that is allowing each and every one of us experience this whole life situation thing. No matter how important you think you are, no matter how much you think you are in control of your experiences and scenarios of life—you’re not. As soon as you realize you don’t know, you know everything. You are not just a human being thing! You are so much more. You are a soul in a body. Use your body to serve your soul. Don’t believe me? Do that hand on your chest thing again. What’s causing your heart to beat? Hmm..? Just sayin'.

Chloe Park is an Artist, Writer, Spiritual Teacher, Holistic Healing Practitioner, Life Coach, Ethnobotanist and Social Change Activist. Her message: unconditional love and Self-healing. She uses the medium of writing, medicinal plants, yoga and meditation to help all those along the Path to attain harmony with mind, body and spirit. She is devoted to facilitating the space for Healing, Love and Truth and is passionate about bringing ancient practices and traditions into the modern times we live. Chloe also writes for Elephant Journal, Healthline, WorldLifestyle, and Yahoo Shine!. To stay connected with her current projects, retreats, teachings and traveling schedule, find her on Facebook or visit her website. Life Coaching sessions with Chloe are available via Skype.

Chloe Park is an Artist, Writer, Spiritual Teacher, Holistic Healing Practitioner, Life Coach, Ethnobotanist and Social Change Activist. Her message: unconditional love and Self-healing. She uses the medium of writing, medicinal plants, yoga and meditation to help all those along the Path to attain harmony with mind, body and spirit. She is devoted to facilitating the space for Healing, Love and Truth and is passionate about bringing ancient practices and traditions into the modern times we live. Chloe also writes for Elephant Journal, Healthline, WorldLifestyle, and Yahoo Shine!. To stay connected with her current projects, retreats, teachings and traveling schedule, find her on Facebook or visit her website. Life Coaching sessions with Chloe are available via Skype.

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